Day 5 Kelham to Dunham on Trent

There was just three of us for breakfast this morning. One chappie was was on a course, sent by his company, and the other older gent of 85 was on an oil paining weekend. Ever since his wife died four years ago he has been keeping himself busy. The food was perfect, cereal, a meatless cooked brekkie, home made bread and home made jam, and all the trimmings.

I'm heading for Newark, first, along the A617 crossing water here.

I was able to join a footpath running parallel to the road, then back on the road as I reached the town. Newark has some memories for me, I used to park up here a lot in my lorry. There was a portacabin which housed the washing facilities, alas there was no seperate Ladies loo's so I joined in with the rest of the drivers and washed in the sink alongside them. I think they were more embarrassed than me, ha ha.

Then you go over another bridge when you reach the town. This boat has been converted to a restaurant.

Look over to the right and you see the castle, a popular tourist attraction.

The main bridge.

And more pictures of the castle and the lock.

Some of the old warehousing has been converted to shops and eating houses, with flats above.

There is not much left of the castle, one wall and a couple of towers.

Leaving Newark I passed a Marina.

I needed to cross the river here. Beyond the bridge is the A46 crossing it a bit further along.

I came to another weir at Cromwell lock.

It was an ideal place to sit for a while and watch the fishermen.

I left the river for a while and went in a straight line down a wide track, this cut out some of the bends. These crumbling steps on the side of a barn at Besthorpe, went nowhere. They are using the old Royal Mail post box for their own private letter box.

Oooh another Power Station, this one is High Marnham.

There is a little church between North and South Clifton, it has this very unusual Lychgate

Back on the riverside again, this old disused railway bridge is now part of the Sustrans National Cycle Newtork.

It's too long for one photograph.

Almost at Dunham now. A pipeline goes over the river here, and beyond it is the main A57 road bridge.

You have to pay 30p to cross this toll bridge in a car.

Then it was a short walk into the village for my B & B. I was greeted by the landlady at Wilmot House. I must say I have struck lucky again with another first class establishment. After I got myself settled in my room I strolled down to the White Horse for a meal. At £6, it was a very reasonably priced Tuna Pasta Bake. It went down a treat with a pint of cider.